1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses that can produce high-quality images over an extended period of time have come to be demanded by consumers in recent years. Moreover, environmental concerns have accelerated demand for longer-lasting machines including longer-lasting parts and supplies, which requirement is expected to be satisfied without sacrificing quality.
To meet this demand, durable electrophotographic image forming apparatuses have already been commercialized, for example, by using stable photoreceptors (also referred to as photoconductors or image bearing members) having excellent abrasion resistance with a long working life.
In such image forming apparatuses, image bearing members having greatly improved durability are used for an extended period of time. As a result, however, over time the surface of the image bearing member undergoes changes, producing an abnormal (unpleasant, squeaky) noise due to abrasion between the image bearing member and a cleaner contacting the image bearing member.
Japanese patent application publication no. 2004-226482 (JP-2004-226482-A) describes detecting a part emitting abnormal noises heard in an image forming apparatus in operation by using a sound-collecting microphone.
However, typically image forming apparatuses of late are irregularly used in various environments and under different usage conditions. Therefore, for example, when such an image forming apparatus is continuously used in an unexpected manner, the main unit and parts of the image forming apparatus deteriorate and the surface property of the image bearing member changes. This causes a problem of abrupt abnormal noises during use of the image forming apparatus even during the warranty period.
In particular, when such situations occur during long uninterrupted printing, the abnormal noises never stop until the job ends, which obliges a user or operator to continue hearing the unpleasant noises. Unfortunately, this is unavoidable.
JP-2009-205121-A describes detecting poor cleaning performance by using a noise sensor that catches the noise in the apparatus. However, even with this configuration it is difficult to prevent the outbreak of the abnormal noises described above.